Denied Disability Claim by UnumProvident?

According to the April 2005 issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance, as part of a deal with state regulators, UnumProvident will reassess more than 300,000 claims denied since 1997.

Among the practices cited after a yearlong investigation: the insurer's excessive reliance on in-house medical staff to support claims denials or reductions, often disputing a claimant's attending physician without ordering an independent medical examination; "company bias" in the interpretation of medical reports; and placing too great a burden on policyholders to justify their eligibility for benefits.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? If your claim was denied since January 1, 2000, you should already have been contacted by UnumProvident about having your case reevaluated. But here's what could be the most important aspect of this story:

...Nearly 100,000 policyholders whose benefits were denied between 1997 and 1999 won't be notified of their right to have their case reopened. To get the details, they need to call the company at 877-477-0964 by July 19, 2005. .... If you've been working with a lawyer to contest a denied claim, be sure to talk with him or her before signing up for the reassessment. [Because it could affect your legal rights, including the possibility of suing for punitive damages.]

If any of this describes your situation, now would be an excellent time to decide to fight back.